Smoothbore shotgun for turkey

[BS2366]

Looking for something different to turkey hunt with.

Would like to find a New Englander 12 or CVA gobbler with choke tubes. Watching a few on GB. I have a CVA 50 1" across the flats barrel that I thought about having bored out to around 20g. Also wonder if the breech end could be cut off and a round shotgun barrel be adapted to it. There are a couple machinists in the area that make still board turkey shoot barrels. I'm guessing this wouldn't be difficult for them to do.

I know my options are limited because I want screw in chokes. Has anyone seen this done or have a similar gun?

 

[tenngun]

Looking for something different to turkey hunt with.

Would like to find a New Englander 12 or CVA gobbler with choke tubes. Watching a few on GB. I have a CVA 50 1" across the flats barrel that I thought about having bored out to around 20g. Also wonder if the breech end could be cut off and a round shotgun barrel be adapted to it. There are a couple machinists in the area that make still board turkey shoot barrels. I'm guessing this wouldn't be difficult for them to do.

I know my options are limited because I want screw in chokes. Has anyone seen this done or have a similar gun?

When you have the round barrel how will it fit in the stock?
New stock?
Convert a breechloader to an ml?
Chokes were not invented till after breechloaders. Turkey populations were heavily impacted by smoothies with out chokes. I’ve taken a turkey or two with my fusil de chase.
Options
Look around for an old Hand H ML shotgun
Or one of the older more traditional style side locks
You can spend some bucks on perdisoli or custom
Loyalist arms imports civil war era percussions rifles, that are smooth bore in 20 gage, some are the carbine style
You may be able to finds a ‘buffalo hunter’ a sawn off Zouave that’s been fitted with a 12 or 20 bore barrel

 

[TCMonts]

Go ahead and bid what you can stand to spend, by the time you buy and assemble all the parts you may end up with more than you want to invest.

 

[new2bp]

If you've got deeper pockets than I do, I would look at a jug choke for whatever you end up with. Barrel is 12ga down near the ignition/powder well, opens up to 10ga or so and then a screw on external tube choke goes on and tightens it back down to .725ish for an extra-full turkey choke. Coincidentally, .725ish is basically cylinder bore for 12ga - so wads, etc. just drop right in with no issues.

 

[Brokennock]

Why screw in chokes?

 

[BS2366]

Why screw in chokes?

That's what I want. I have a bunch of turkey chokes and this would be a turkey gun. Remove choke, load, install choke, kill turkey, done.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

That's what I want. I have a bunch of turkey chokes and this would be a turkey gun. Remove choke, load, install choke, kill turkey, done.

PITA.

 

[Mike in FL]

Just me, but I feel that screw in chokes for muzzle loading shotguns negates the entire concept of using one. I mean to modernize a muzzleloader is to say why am I bothering with a front stuffer. Why not use a regular cartridge/shell gun? I know that thousands of hunters use a scoped inline muzzleloader, but their reason is to gain access to m/l seasons, not history or their love of the old ways. Certainly not my business at all how another person does his thing, but why trouble yourself with a black powder gun if you are just going to use modern advantages?

 

[James Kopp]

Just me, but I feel that screw in chokes for muzzle loading shotguns negates the entire concept of using one. I mean to modernize a muzzleloader is to say why am I bothering with a front stuffer. Why not use a regular cartridge/shell gun? I know that thousands of hunters use a scoped inline muzzleloader, but their reason is to gain access to m/l seasons, not history or their love of the old ways. Certainly not my business at all how another person does his thing, but why trouble yourself with a black powder gun if you are just going to use modern advantages?

well said!

 

[kelljp]

I have a TC 56 smooth bore and a TC 12 gauge New Englander with choke tubes.
Both are capable of taking a turkey, but at a reduced range ( 30 yards) from modern shotguns.
The choke tubes do improve the pattern, but make loading a bit more difficult.
I would recommend staying away from TSS, and use lead.
Good luck with your goal.

 

[BS2366]

I have a TC 56 smooth bore and a TC 12 gauge New Englander with choke tubes.
Both are capable of taking a turkey, but at a reduced range ( 30 yards) from modern shotguns.
The choke tubes do improve the pattern, but make loading a bit more difficult.
I would recommend staying away from TSS, and use lead.
Good luck with your goal.

100% using lead. This is all for fun and a project for me. Not tradition. I've turkey hunted with a shotgun, compound, recurve, crossbow for 24 years. Time to try something different. I'm pretty sure if the old timers knew about choke tubes, they would use them.

 

[BS2366]

Just me, but I feel that screw in chokes for muzzle loading shotguns negates the entire concept of using one. I mean to modernize a muzzleloader is to say why am I bothering with a front stuffer. Why not use a regular cartridge/shell gun? I know that thousands of hunters use a scoped inline muzzleloader, but their reason is to gain access to m/l seasons, not history or their love of the old ways. Certainly not my business at all how another person does his thing, but why trouble yourself with a black powder gun if you are just going to use modern advantages?

Not troubling myself at all. Im turkey hunting. Why not use a modern shotgun you ask?. Because I have for the past 24 years. Why do I want to use a choke tube? Because they work, I have plenty, it's no trouble for me to load it once to kill a bird, tight pattern, I owe it to the bird to kill it quickly, lots of reasons why. I'm simply trying to turn this old cva into something I will use. I'm definitely not trying to be traditional. Especially driving my truck to hunt, wearing my modern cam and boots, using calls and decoys, to kill something to eat and hang on the wall. It's either all traditional or nothing if I was to go that route. I've killed animals with sticks, wood arrows, traps, rocks. I have nothing to prove by using a traditional ml the way it was designed or the way someone else says I should. This is just a fun project to keep me busy, make a tight shooting gun that is different from the other guys.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Get a straight bored barrel and have it jug choked, done correctly, a jug choke can produce as dense a pattern as full screw in choke. The plus side is you can shoot round balls out of a jug choke with great accuracy if you work up the right load.

I have a jug choked 12ga, If I shoot a Skychief load out of it my pattern is better than the standard screw in full coke in my modern shotgun.

My jug choke pattern at 25 yards, 1 1/2oz of #6 shot.

 

[BS2366]

PITA.

Why is unscrewing a choke a pita? That's the only other step in loading. I really wouldn't mind. If that was a pita to me, I would give up a lot of my hobbies. Because that seems pretty simple to me.

If someone can point me in a direction for a tight shooting jug choked barrel that fits a cva, I would go that route. But nobody has. The barrel makers I've emailed haven't responded. The 2 local turkey shoot barrel makers are difficult to get a hold of also.

 

[BS2366]

Get a straight bored barrel and have it jug choked, done correctly, a jug choke can produce as dense a pattern as full screw in choke. The plus side is you can shoot round balls out of a jug choke with great accuracy if you work up the right load.

I have a jug choked 12ga, If I shoot a Skychief load out of it my pattern is better than the standard screw in full coke in my modern shotgun.

My jug choke pattern at 25 yards, 1 1/2oz of #6 shot.

View attachment 277636

Thank you! Great info and I will keep this in mind when looking for a barrel.

 

[Mike in FL]

Not troubling myself at all. Im turkey hunting. Why not use a modern shotgun you as?. Because I have for the past 24 years. Why do I want to use a choke tube? Because they work, I have plenty, it's no trouble for me to load it once to kill a bird, tight pattern, I owe it to the bird to kill it quickly, lots of reasons why. I'm simply trying to turn this old cva into something I will use. I'm definitely not trying to be traditional. Especially driving my truck to hunt, wearing my modern cam and boots, using calls and decoys, to kill something to eat and hang on the wall. It's either all traditional or nothing if I was to go that route. I've killed animals with sticks, wood arrows, traps, rocks. I have nothing to prove by using a traditional ml the way it was designed or the way someone else says I should. This is just a fun project to keep me busy, make a tight shooting gun that is different from the other guys.

Of course it works, and works better. That is just my point. If I wanted better, I'd skip the muzzleloader altogether. .... THAT is my point. Even a little bit of modern technology ruins the muzzleloading experience, FOR ME. Not you. It is a fine nation we occupy where each man can do his own thing. Please never think I mean to tell you or anyone how they should go about their own thing.

 

[kelljp]

I've spoke with the folks at Colerain barrels and they have a barrel that works for turkey hunting.
Just haven't had the time or money to pursue another project.

 

[BS2366]

I've spoke with the folks at Colerain barrels and they have a barrel that works for turkey hunting.
Just haven't had the time or money to pursue another project.

I sent them a few emails but haven't heard back. I know of the barrel you're referring to. That would nice!

 

[Eric Krewson]

The Colerain turkey choke barrel does make a very effective turkey gun, the down side is you can't shoot round balls out of it, shot loads only.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Of course it works, and works better. That is just my point. If I wanted better, I'd skip the muzzleloader altogether. I'd put 3" magnums in my 12 gauge automatic equipped with a super ultra full choke and look through a scope at the turkey's noggin. THAT is my point. Even a little bit of modern technology ruins the muzzleloading experience, FOR ME. Not you. It is a fine nation we occupy where each man can do his own thing. Please never think I mean to tell you or anyone how they should go about their own thing.

You might consider getting rid of your flintlock and going with a matchlock. Those flint guns with their modern technology give you an unfair advantage.